Friday, October 28, 2011

As an online editor, I spend most of my time staring at a PC screen, so when I received an invitation to the launch of Cradle Health Spa and Medical Centre, I just couldn’t say no.

Expecting only a handful of people to attend, to my surprise, there were two tour-bus-loads of media royalty waiting to be taken to this haven of relaxation, nestled under the beautiful Magaliesburg mountains.

Once we arrived, everyone made themselves at home – sipping on champers and smoothies and snacking on a buffet of yummy eats. Being treated to mini manis and pedis and massage treatments helped get all those niggly knots out my neck!

While mingling, I met up with Metro FM’s Melanie Bala, Michele Garforth-Venter, Top Billing’s Lorna Maseko and a host of other celebs. I couldn’t believe my luck.

The centre provides full conventional medical services (like those dreadful gynaecological visits) and combined it with a day of luxury spa pampering and treatments.

So now you can enjoy your spoil of choice in one of 12 luxurious treatment suites each with a private garden, socialise by the pool and book a medical or doctor’s appointment all in one!

Monday, October 3, 2011

Arno Carstens has released 7 studio albums, has had 18 top ten singles, won 5 South African Music Awards and supported the likes of The Rolling Stones, Paul Weller, The Police, Simple Minds and Meat Loaf on European tours. We had a chance to chat with him ahead of the Heineken® Symphonic Rocks concert in Joburg this weekend.Do you think you have any flaws? Many! At the moment I have my eye on my loose, reckless tongue.

What’s your most memorable moment while performing live? I ran backwards on a catwalk stretching from the stage and didn’t stop ’till I landed in the audience after a two metre drop. It was not a rock ’n’ roll moment.

If you could invite any three people to hear you perform, who would they be? King Kong in chains, a thirsty gremlin, and Helen Keller. Your favourite song and place to perform? Another Universe on acoustic in the O2 Millennium Dome London.

You’re playing at the 2011 Heineken Symphonic Rocks this weekend in Jo’burg. What can fans expect from this show? Some good songs, done in style.
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We tracked down Locnville's Andrew Chaplin to chat about performing at this weekends' Heineken® Symphonic Rocks in Joburg and how he feels about being approached in public...

What do you do to relax?
I do exactly that, and don't think about anything else!

Do you think you have any flaws?
I'm me and I'm very happy with that. But we've all got things we need to work on.

How do you feel about being approached in public?
Sometimes it really bothers me. Many people approach me like I should be an asshole or something, but I don't go out thinking “I'm famous”, so it catches me off guard, and I feel quite awkward.

What was your most memorable moment while performing live?
Seeing over 20 000 people waving their hands to mine. That was epic!

You’re playing at the 2011 Heineken Symphonic Rocks this weekend in Jo’burg. What can fans expect from this show?
Something they've never seen before – Locnville backed by a 65 piece orchestra – it's pretty next level!

South Africa is …
the best place in the world, but like ourselves, there's always something we can work on.

Presented by Heineken® in association with 5FM, this year’s Heineken® Symphonic Rocksline-up will feature a mixture of some of South Africa’s most popular artists representing a variety of genres including R&B, Rock and Pop.
For tickets log onto Computicket or log onto www.symphonicrocks.co.za for more.

WIN! a set of double tickets are up for grabs to theHeineken® Symphonic Rocks concert at the Big Top Arena at Carnival City this Friday, 7 October.

In the words of Z&G's Alan Shenton - "I’m a boy, and I play guitar …. a lot of guitar."

We found out what else he likes to do, his most memorable performance and what he loves about S.A!

How do you relax?
I love going to Kruger, and it's about the only time I relax properly! A good book during the day and early morning & evening game drives!What’s your most memorable live performance? Opening for The Killers in Cape Town and looking out at 20 000 people with the most beautiful mountains and wine estates as the backdrop...I'll never forget that!

You’re playing at the 2011 Heineken Symphonic Rocks on 1 October in Cape Town, what can fans expect from this show?
It's a one-of-a-kind Z&G show for sure! We have never played live with classical musicians, but have a lot of strings etc on our albums, so I can't wait to hear that behind us live. It's going to be an amazing experience for the bands and our fans alike, and definitely one of the highlights of 2011 for Z&G!

If you were attending the show as a punter, which artist would you most want to see perform?
I love watching Van Coke Kartel live, they give it everything from start to finish! And on the flip side, I love watching Dear Reader, with all of Cheri's intricacies & dynamics. Completely different bands who put on amazing live shows!
South Africa is….
Alive and kicking in the best ways possible. Amazing growth is taking place across all industries & I'm proud to live in the beautiful, crazy place that Jozi is!

CrashCarBurn's Garth Barnes has hair issues is coastal regions and believes SA has the best rugby team ever (which we do - Go Bokke!)

Do you think you have any flaws?
Of course! Let me count the ways! My hair forms a giant afro when we play live...in coastal situations it can actually be dangerous to the front row.

How do you feel about being approached in public?

I really don't mind, If it wasn't for fans we'd be nothing so we'll take as many photos as you like...preferably not while I'm eating a burger though:)

Do you get nervous before a show?
Yeah but it's healthy nerves...it's more like excitement. I think the day you're not at least a little bit excited to be playing a show is the day you should throw in the towel.
What can fans expect from you in Cape Town on 1 October?
Well we're going to be playing our 'biggest' tracks so you can definitely expect to at recognise at least one of the songs. Plus we'll be backed by a full-on symphonic orchestra so it will be like CrashCarBurn squared! Really amped for this show, I think it's a once in a career opportunity!

If I were attending the show, I'd most like to see...
A couple of lesser known SA bands...Irvine from Cape Town and Shortstraw from Jozi. Watch out for those names, they're gonna be huge!

South Africa is….
Without a doubt the best place in the world to be living right now! (plus our rugby team is better than yours.)

Friday, September 16, 2011

My first year of varsity has certainly opened my eyes to the dynamic couples there are out there. From the oddly matched couples – like a 6ft tall guy with a 5.4ft girl (I didn’t see that coming) – to the Cinderella-type unions, where both partners are perfect looking and perfect for each other. However, it’s the somewhat ‘new’ (well, to South Africa, anyway) interracial couples who get us looking back discreetly over our shoulders.

A walk in the park or a picnic with your partner shouldn’t attract much attention, right? Well, at my varsity, if a couple is from different races, they’ll definitely be the entertainment feature of the day! A robbery or a shootout could be happening simultaneously, but people would give the interracial couple all the attention.

Mixed couples aren’t that new to our shores; we’ve seen many interracial couples grace magazine pages, like Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush, or Seal and Heidi Klum, and even local celebs. But why are we so fascinated by this?

I must admit, when I see such a mixed couple I always smile to myself. On some occasions I try sneak a picture – for matters unrelated to stalkarism! One would think it’s a celeb walking past the way my heart smiles. But, call it fascination or simple curiosity, we’ll never stop staring.

Friday, September 9, 2011

I went for an interview at our campus radio station to be a news reader there. I was nervous, but answered all the questions perfectly in terms of current affairs. But at the end of the interview, I was asked: “Who are you?”

I froze. Those three seconds seemed like hours. I don’t know who I am! My friends and family have described me as ambitious and organised – but I’m not too sure that I know who I am. What are my dreams and ambitions for the future? Where do I see myself in five years’ time? Those questions seemed impossible to answer.

I took to the internet to Google my symptoms. But the more I searched, the more it seemed like I was clinically depressed! But how? Everything in my life is going well.

The next day I visited the varsity psychologist. To my utter relief, she said there was nothing wrong with me, and taking the time to “find myself” was perfectly normal. “You’re going through a process of self-discovery,” she said. Perhaps I should challenge my limits to limit my challenges [a cliché I know] then I’d find myself.

I thought about that all day, and maybe I could change my mindset. I learnt that finding yourself isn’t about reorganizing your goals, but about taking a different route to achieve them.

Friday, September 2, 2011

After a hectic day of classes, I was super hungry and decided to get something to eat. At the 7 eleven on campus I was approached by a butch (albeit anxious-looking) 6ft butch guy. He asked me to do him a huge favour – could by his girlfriend sanitary towels? I had to laugh; the poor guy looked mortified to even say the words “sanitary towels”. But, I was happy to oblige.

“What brand does she use?” That question seemed harder to answer than one from a bar exam. “Uh … the blue one.” “But 80% of them are blue!” By now he was irritable, so he manned up, went into the store, and bought all the ‘blue ones’. That seemed like a bit of a mission to me. Why didn’t he just go back to the dorm room and ask? I think he did it to avoid coming back.

This incident intrigued me to think about how far the male sex would go for their partner. So, I asked my friends if they’d ever got their boyfriends to buy them sanitary towels. One friend said she’d asked before, but he declined without hesitation. They’re no longer together.

I believe the value of the relationship comes down to one simple question: Will you buy me sanitary towels? If he says yes, he must love you, because men would rather slay dragons than be seen with a pack of Always Ultra. And if he says no? Well, he clearly doesn’t love you.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Hi! I’m Zodwa Mokoena, and I’m a first-year journalism student at The University of Johannesburg. I’ll be blogging about the weird and wonderful happenings in the life of a fresh varsity student, eager to impress, and hungry to learn.

My varsity timetable wasn’t so busy today, because most of my classes were cancelled [screaming: YAY!]. With a two-hour gap between classes, my head instructed me to march to the library, and fast! But, I decided to do a bit of both, and go to be in the student centre for an hour and study for another.

In the library, I was eager to catch up with my ‘hubby’ (who’s not ‘technically’ my hubby). I typed Facebook into the internet address bar, and within seconds my mood changed. My university has blocked Facebook! I was sent into shock mode. Why? I am a virtual stalker. Ever had that nagging curiosity about what your ex, current, or future boyfriend is up to? Well, you’re not alone. Technology was made to service this exact purpose.

I felt rejected and confused. Why is this happening to me? I typed all the ways possible to login in to Facebook, but to no avail. I ran to the technician assistant with my big emergency, but he came to my seat and told me to stop wasting his time. Did he not know it had been three hours and 32 minutes since I caught up with my ‘hubby’? (Lots of things can happen in that time.)

I quickly headed to Campus square, and almost got knocked over buy a taxi in the process. I found an internet café (which cost R10 and hour) but I didn’t care. I logged in, checked out my victim’s profile, only to see his status said, “Off to sleep-no classes today”. After all that, this is the only information you give me.

It was then when I realised that although there’s nothing wrong with being a virtual stalker (as long as you don’t act on it) you miss out on living your life while boyfriends (whatever tense) live theirs. I almost deleted him to end my obsession, but that would be avoiding the problem, so I’m detoxing from Facebook (until I get over him).

From a professional virtual stalker, this is how you determine if you are one too:

Twice a week – you’re curious.

Three or more times a week – you’re a virtual stalker!

I’ll keep you updated on the weird and wonderful tales of a first-year student. Zodwa

Monday, August 22, 2011

Being a rookie to Jo’burg living, I had to ask my fellow office dwellers when exactly winter would be over? Now, I know that whole ‘pinch and a punch for the first of the month’ spring thing, but winter isn’t winter like it is in Jobizzle. It’s bone-chilling, soup-overdosing, hot-water-bottle-doesn’t-help kind of weather. Being born in August, I’m a winter baby through and through; give me rain, give me grey skies, but for the love of fashion, keep the icy cold. So, I pose this question: What do you wear to keep the frostbite at bay that won’t make you take the form of a woman in her last trimester?

Although it’s trendy, I don’t do layers. I’d rather shimmy shake from the chills than pile it on, which I guess is daft – but like some gals who suffer through the pain of heels, I do the same in minimal layering. I wear opaque stockings almost every day of the week, I wear them with dresses, I wear them with skirts, but I have faced the cold hard fact that this thin layer of nylon just might not be enough. So, I’ve discovered a couple of marvellous items one can pair with the pantyhose in order to avoid a runny nose. Most of us have grannies/aunties/neighbours who can knit at a speed; I’ve put my granny’s talent to use and put her to work on a double-knit grey snood. You could go out and buy one just like every other cool kid on the block, but this way you’ll have one like no other and you’ll have formed an irreplaceable bond with Granalan, while cheering her on as she tip taps those two magic sticks together for you.

When I was young(er) my parents were cruel enough to bestow upon myself and my two sisters, a windbreaker. I know you had one too; those flimsy hooded raincoats that could be folded into a ball small enough to fit into your school bag, until you walked the long unfashionable trek across the sports field after school. These are really not something you want to admit to still owning, but instead of blaming the rents for making you look like an oompaloompa, thank them kindly for giving you the basis of one of life’s more necessary clothing items – the parka. Capes came back in and they’ll soon be out, but parkas will be here for all time. I found my lovely parka just recently while sourcing for one of our fabulous CLEO fashion pages; a dark-grey, all-weather, knee-length parka from Two girls. It’s raincoaty enough to be worn as armour against the rain and adorable enough to be worn to art exhibitions. And I got it on sale, so bonus points for me.

So winter dressing can be fun (and dare I say, funky) if we remember that the cold doesn’t confine us to our dad’s old army coat and Ugg boots. Wear a dress, wear spencers, buy chunky knit socks and wear them with your brogues.

I’m unsure that this below-freezing weather shall ever pass, but I’m absolutely certain that with my snood around my neck and my parka wrapped around me, I’ll be smiling right through it.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Everyone is in that long weekend mode. When there’s a public holiday on the horizon, the office is all about long weekend plans and after-work drinks. I went off to Oppikoppi, our art director soaked up the pina coladas in Zanzibar, and designer Morgane jetsetted to France. Because I do feel the tiniest bit of pity for those who may have spent their weekend on the couch watching reruns of WWE smackdown eating cheese curls, while I drank in the sun and boogied to Desmond and the Tutus; I’ll give you some ‘things to do when there’s nothing to do’ for the next long weekend. And don’t be sad, Cape Town kids, I have something for everyone!

Learn to fold/wrap/tie a turban around your head. This is oh-so trendy this spring and almost everyone looks like someone when they wear a turban.

Visit MeMeMe, they’re having a splendid sale on this weekend. If you are Jo’burg, you can hop across the wall to Two, where they too are having a 50% off sale, which is huge! If you’re willing to pay 600 smackaroos for a pair of trousers, you can now pay the exact same price, but walk away with two pairs of trousers – I know, it’s crazy. So for Cape Townians, you can take your wallet off to 117A Long Street (Cnr Church Street) and for Joburgers, 54 6th Street is where you want to be. While you’re there, take a look at their new neighbours, In Good Company.

In between this folding and wrapping and shopping and spending, a girls got to eat. Now, Cape Town, let me tell you, I left the sea and the mountains and the traffic-free roads for the hustle and bustle of the city of Jo’burg. But I’ll let you in on a secret, if I do make a hasty decision to pack my polo playa and drive back to the seaside, it will be for one reason – Eastern Food Bazaar. Located at 96 Longmarket St, Cape Town, this walk-through dining experience will leave you heavier and happier. Order big and take home your leftovers, they’re just as good in the morning.

Jo’burg girls, shimmy over to Wolves Café at 4 Corlett Drive, Illovo, and don’t leave until you’ve tried the chocolate milkshake and red velvet cupcakes. They also have free internet wireless stuff, so that’s nice for looking busy when really, you have no friends.

Markets are great places to be spotted if you want to be on a street-style blog, but they’re also fantastic places to buy your weekly fresh produce. Neighbourgoods Market takes place every Saturday (373 - 375 Albert Road Woodstock, but go early to avoid the crowds. They’re planning on starting a Neighbourgoods Market in Braamfontein, so watch that space in springtime. We do have a very dandy market of our own; Market on Main has been around since the beginning of this year and it’s just marvelous. If you live in JHB and have not yet visited, you should be sad for yourself, but so happy that you will go this very Sunday – the market takes place at Arts on Main.

I hope everyone had a splendid weekend! Wear South African design, bask in the slithers of sunlight you can find, and wear a lot of jewellery in the day time.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Soon I’ll join the masses in the mud at the Oppikoppi festival in Northam. I’m not usually a keen bean when it comes to these weekend trips; don’t get me wrong, camping was a big part of my childhood and I have no problem with a bit of mud and a lot of wet wipes. I just never enjoyed packing for these gigs – the whole bohemian/free-spirited look holds little appeal to me, the girl whose closet is home to dresses a plenty, but holds not one pair of jeans. Being new to Jozi city, I decided to take a chunk of change from my already humble bank balance and buy my golden ticket to the circus.

But until now, I’d been ignoring the hurdle that is my festival wardrobe. After scouring my trusty friend – the fashion blogosphere – for tips and tricks on non-conformist festival dressing, I realised that not only will my dresses do just fine, but I have no need to own a pair of jeans, hiking boots and a windbreaker.

I’ve put in an order for a trusty pair of wellington boots, which I plan to wear over my opaque stockings and a pair of printed knee high socks. These are both fun to wear and functional, as a precaution to the snakes that allegedly roam the camp grounds. Among the booze, tent pegs and energy drinks, I’m also packing in a small variety of headscarves – the mud I can handle, the greasy hair look, I can’t.

I reckon I’ll go through my three-night stay in the dirt and cold without a single outfit resembling those hippy themed looks worn at the famous Glastonbury, Coachella and Edinburgh festivals. Then again, I might just wear the same dress and jumper all weekend!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Hello! My name’s Roxanne and I am the fashion intern at Cleo magazine. I’m a Cape Townian living in Joburg and loving it, I’ll be writing about clothing, style and a most probably bit of John Travolta.

Princess Diana’s ivory, silk taffeta and antique-lace gown with the near 8m train cascading down the aisle; Belle’s yellow princess dress in that unforgettable ballroom scene from Beauty and the Beast, and Marilyn’s white halter dress billowing seductively over a subway grate in The Seven Year Itch. These iconic moments, paired with their fabulous outfits, have made most girls want to marry a prince, a beast, or perhaps look promiscuous on the streets of downtown Jozi.

These moments got me thinking about the remarkable outfits that have shaped my own life. My first day of preschool, donning a DIY fringe and a gap in my excited smile where my milk teeth were; the dress I wore to my matric dance, paired with too much make-up and heels I had yet to master – they weren’t couture or de rigueur, but nonetheless, unforgettable.

In my life, it wasn’t only the outfits I wore, but the ensembles of my grandmothers and my mother.

My late granny Barbara was a comfort dresser. I recall fondly a trip to the bank in her car that always smelt of the cloves she kept in the ashtray. She wore a bottle-green tracksuit – one of those ‘sporty’ kinds. I think she had one in every colour Woolies had on offer. For a reason unknown to man, or clearly me at the time, this tracksuit later made its way into my closet. I wore it to church with my Power takkies, not Island Style sneakers like the cool kids had, but takkies. I cringe at the horror of this memory, but I smile when I think of how ‘cool and hip’ I felt.

My other grandma was an ‘outfit dresser’. You know those ladies who buy clothing in outfits? She would get her outfits specially made. In one of my favourite black-and-white photographs of her at her engagement party, she’s wearing a matching skirt and jacket suit, apparently in peppermint green. I remember being younger and wanting to wear lady suits. I wanted to look fancy. As my grandma married and had children (at the ripe old age of 19, as one did) she retained her immaculate dressing; although, looking through the photo albums, I think she went through a brief sabbatical around the time she and my granddad wore matching T-shirts with their names on them, and then had their three kids wear them too.

I don’t know why, but later in life (while I was still wearing my sporty tracksuits and takkies) my grandma threw out most of her outfits, along with an extensive hat collection and a fabulous white polyester jumpsuit. The only piece I managed to salvage is a bright blue party dress with smocked sleeves, which I adore, but have to be very careful to keep away from smoke – because where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and no more 100% polyester heirloom.

As kids, my big sister Jenna and I had a magical dress-up box. High heels, velvet hats and big clip-on earrings were always first choice. Most of our dress-up clothes were my mother’s once upon a time.

Being girlie girls who loved the finer things in life, as well as the dirtier, the heels were scuffed, hats stained and beads used as spaghetti while playing ‘cook cook’ in the birds’ bath. The few things she did manage to save were discovered by Jenna and I during our teen phase, which went hand in hand with DIY bad fashion. I cut my mom’s gorgeous maxi skirts into uncomfortable minis, and attempted to sew one half of a blouse onto another – only to realise half way through the project that it was a terrible idea.

I still have a lot of my mother’s scarves, which I wore throughout college around my neck and now around my hair. The first dress she ever made is hanging in my cupboard, a checked pinafore I love. My younger sister Adrienne is now wearing Mom’s school dresses to parties. There’s a beautiful white silk suit in the spare room cupboard at home, which none of us will touch; partly because we don’t want to be mistaken for the long-lost member of Duran Duran, but mostly because we haven’t reached that level of sophistication in our dressing. One day ...

I owe my career in fashion to the ladies in my life who showed what not to wear, and how to wear what you should be wearing. To them, and to my fascination with a career that seemed too pretty to be hard work. (I’m slowly learning that it is hard work making things pretty, and looking pretty doing it.) I aim to keep most of my clothes for my own brats one day, so that they can be the Carrie Bradshaw of the next generation. After all, I got it from my Mamma.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Hi Fabs!Nail varnish has always been fashionable, and the colours and styles have really evolved in the last couple of years. French manicures and classic red nail varnish are no longer the only staples. These days, bold designs (even animal print!), neons and metallics are seen everywhere. Now your nails can be your accessories, too. So, here’s my list of my top nail trends I’m rocking right now.

Nudes: The ultimate in sophistication. It’s understated beauty and is great for the office. The colours for this trend are soft – light pinks, browns, and creams. My favourite is this moon colour from Revlon for R89.

Friday, July 8, 2011

I recently went on a downtown shopping spree with my BFF to find out what the fuss was about, and what I was missing out on. Turns out, a lot.

Living in Sunninghill, I didn't know about all the one-of-a-kind items you can find in the inner city. Now I know where my colleagues are talking about when they tell me the item of clothing I love on them is from “town”. We visited all the bargain shops and stalls from the Oriental plaza to China City and others in between.

The plan was to embrace our ‘cheap chic’ inner goddess. Our first stop was Commissioner Street, the hub of it all. We hit all the ‘boutiques’, and since most items didn’t cost more than R100, it was easy to go wild with clothes, accessories and food. We got scarfs for R12, pumps for R20 and trench coats you'd swear were from YDE. There are some of the cutest designer knock-offs on sale too. BFF bought a ‘Channel’ bag and I made out with a ‘Mike Jacobs’ bag, too (judge me later). Town really is a one-stop-shop for a girl on a budget.

Downtown shopping tips:Park at a central place and walking everywhere.Carry a sling bag, and carry cash.Leave your phone in the car.Travel in pairs, or make it a girl’s day outing.If you need directions, ask a woman to help you.Wash your garments when you get home before wearing them.If you have sensitive skin, buying the R5 earrings might be unwise.Since most of the shopping attendants are foreign nationals, spend time speaking to them and take an interest in their lives, as it’ll help you with haggling for prices later.

So, if celebrities like Tyra Banks can have a ‘frugal’ days, then so can we! ’Til next time Fabs, be street wise and stay fabulous!

Friday, July 1, 2011

Hi Fabs! Hate the season, love the fashion. And to avoid the winter Fashion Police, I’ve been rocking my blazer. Talk about a must-have item. The masculine trend comes and goes, but the blazer has stood the test of time. It’s a great investment because it goes with absolutely everything, formal or casual.

Celebrities have received the memo, too – local fashionista Noni Gasa was recently spotted at the Roberto Cavalli Vodka launch looking amazing in a tweed version. And style stars Kerry Washington, Ashley Olsen and Rihanna love the popular trend, too.

Since blazers go with anything, I say, “If you like it, buy it in every colour”. Or in this case, buy it in every style –silk, tweed, and denim. I’ve been wearing my blazers every day this week. In summer, pair them with cocktail dresses, or wear a cropped version with a flower-detail summer dress. Try wearing a white blazer with jeans, a tank top and strappy stilettos for a night out. For a touch of quirkiness, why not get a school-inspired blazer from Jay Jays? Now that’s cool!

The prices are fair at YDE, at around R350, and Mr Price stocks the cutest blazer trends at around R159.